913th Air Refueling Squadron
|allegiance= |branch= |type= |role= Air Refueling |size= |current_commander= |garrison= |nickname=The Thirsty Thirteenth (World War II) |battles=South West Pacific Theater of World War II |decorations=Distinguished Unit Citation Air Force Outstanding Unit Award Navy Unit Commendation Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation |identification_symbol= |identification_symbol_label=913th Air Refueling Squadron Emblem }} The 13th Troop Carrier Squadron was an inactive unit of the United States Army Air Forces. During World War II the squadron served in the South West Pacific Theater of World War II, earning two Distinguished Unit Citations, a Navy Unit Commendation and a Philippine Republic Presidential Unit Citation for its wartime actions. Its last assignment was with the 403d Troop Carrier Group at Nichols Field, Luzon, Philippines, where it was inactivated on 15 October 1946. The 913th Air Refueling Squadron is an inactive United States Air Force unit. It was last assigned to the 2d Bombardment Wing, stationed at Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. The squadron responded to the Cuban Missile Crisis and provided aircraft and aircrews to support the Viet Nam War, It was inactivated on 1 November 1981 and replaced by a squadron flying KC-10s. The two squadrons were consolidated in September 1985 but the consolidated squadron has not been active since. History World War II The 13th Transport Squadron was activated in late 1940 as one of the three original squadrons of the 61st Transport Group. Personnel for the squadron were drawn from the 5th Transport Squadron, located at Patterson Field, Ohio.Abstract, History 13 Troop Carrier Squadron activation-Sep 1943 (retrieved October 8. 2013) The headquarters and squadrons of the 61st were initially scattered at various depot bases, with the 13th at Patterson Field, site of the Fairfield Air Depot. The 61st was finally united with its component squadrons at Pope Field, North Carolina in May 1942. Shortly after this the group and squadrons were renamed Troop Carrier organizations. The squadron trained with the group in the southeast, using Douglas C-47 Skytrain and Douglas C-53 Skytrooper aircraft, but in the fall of 1942 the 13th deployed by itself to the Pacific. Upon arrival in the theater, the squadron, operating from bases in New Caledonia, began to transport vital ammunition and supplies to Guadalcanal and to evaucate wounded personnel on return trips. For this action the squadron earned its first Distinguished Unit Citation. In August 1943 the squadron was assigned to the 403d Troop Carrier GroupMaurer, Combat Units, pp. 287-288 and then moved to Espiritu Santo. It supported the New Guinea and Philippines campaigns by transporting men and cargo to combat areas. The 13th evacuated casualties, and dropped or airlanded supplies to guerilla forces in the Philippines. On 23 February 1945 the squadron dropped paratroopers into Laguna de Bay, Luzon to free civilians held prisoner by the Japanese. The unit moved to the Philippines in 1945 and remained after the Japanese surrender as part of Far East Air Forces. It flew occupation troops to Japan, evacuated prisoners of war and flew cargo and personnel between Australia and Japan. In early 1946 the squadron began to transition into Douglas C-54 Skymasters. In October 1946 the 403d Troop Carrier Group was replaced by the 374th Troop Carrier Group. As a result the 13th was inactivated and its mission, personnel and equipment were transferred to the 22d Troop Carrier Squadron.Maurer, Combat Squadrons, pp. 119-120 Cold War The 913th Air Refueling Squadron was activated in June 1958 by Strategic Air Command (SAC) at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The squadron was equipped with Boeing KC-135 Stratotankers and assigned to the 4238th Strategic Wing as part of SAC's plan to disperse its Boeing B-52 Stratofortress units to make it more difficult for the Soviet Union to destroy the entire fleet with a first strike. The squadron mission was to provide air refueling to the B-52s of its parent wing and other USAF units as directed. Half of the squadron's aircraft were maintained on fifteen minute alert, fully fueled and ready for launch. The squadron trained for this mission until inactivation except for periods when its aircraft and crews were deployed with other SAC organizations conducting combat operations. From October through November 1962 the squadron's training was interrupted as it assumed an increased alert posture during the Cuban Missile Crisis. After tensions eased, the unit resumed normal operations.Abstract, History 4238 Strategic Wing Nov 1962 (retrieved October , 2013) The 913th transferred to the 2d Bombardment Wing in 1963 when SAC replaced its parent wing with an organization that had a more distinguished history and could continue its lineage.MAJCON units like the 4138th could not carry a permanent history or lineage. The 913th began supporting SAC operations in Southeast Asia in 1965, and increased its support of these operations over the following two years. From May to November 1972 all but four of the squadron's KC-135s and a handful of crews were on loan to other SAC units. Following the return of its assets, the squadron continued to support operations in Southeast Asia until 1975. The squadron resumed its training and alert mission until it was inactivated in 1981 and replaced by the 32d Air Refueling Squadron when the 22d Bombardment Wing began to operate McDonnell Douglas KC-10 Extenders.Abstract (Unclassified), History 2 Bombardment Wing Oct-Dec 1981 (Secret) (retrieved October 8, 2013) The 13th Troop Carrier Squadron was consolidated with the 913th Air Refueling Squadron in September 1985 but the consolidated squadron has not been active since.Department of the Air Force/MPM Letter 662q, 19 September 85, Subject: Reconstitution, Redesignation, and Consolidation of Selected Air Force Tactical Squadrons Lineage 13th Troop Carrier Squadron * Constituted as the 13th Transport Squadron on 20 November 1940 : Activated on 1 December 1940 : Redesignated the 13th Troop Carrier Squadron on 4 July 1942 : Inactivated on 15 October 1946Lineage, including assignments, stations and aircraft in Maurer, Combat Squadrons, p. 75 * Consolidated with 913th Air Refueling Squadron as the 913th Air Refueling Squadron on 19 September 1985 913th Air Refueling Squadron * Constituted as the 913th Air Refueling Squadron, Heavy on 7 April 1958 : Activated on 1 June 1958 : Inactivated on 1 November 1981 * Consolidated with 13th Troop Carrier Squadron on 19 September 1985 (remained inactive) Assignments * 61st Transport (later Troop Carrier) Group, 1 December 1940 * Army Forces in South Pacific Area, c. 10 October 1942 (attached to South Pacific Combat Air Transport Command, 11 December 1942 - 3 July 1944) * Thirteenth Air Force, c. 13 January 1943 * XIII Air Force Service Command, 1 July 1943 * 403d Troop Carrier Group, 22 August 1943 - 15 October 1946 * 4238th Strategic Wing, 1 June 1958 * 2d Bombardment Wing, 1 April 1963 - 1 November 1981 Stations * Patterson Field, Ohio, 1 December 1940 * Drew Field, Florida, 13 July 1941 * Pope Field, North Carolina, 25 May 1942 * Lockbourne Army Air Base, Ohio, 8 August-22 September 1942 * Plaine Des Gaiacs Airfield, New Caledonia, 10 October 1942 * Tontouta Airfield, New Caledonia, 17 December 1942 * Luganville Airfield, Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides, 2 November 1943 : Operated from Los Negros Island, Admiralty Islands, 16 August-4 October 1944 * Mokmer Airfield, Biak, Netherlands East Indies, 21 September 1944 : Operated from Wakde Airfield, Wakde, Netherlands East Indies, 4–19 October 1944 * Dulag Airfield, Dulag, Leyte, Philippines, 17 July 1945 * Clark Field, Luzon, Philippines, 7 January 1946 * Nichols Field, Luzon, Philippines, 15 June 1946 - 15 October 1946 * Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, 1 June 1958 - 1 November 1981 Aircraft * Douglas C-47 Skytrain, 1941–1946 * Douglas C-53 Skytrooper, 1942 * Curtiss C-46 Commando, 1945–1946 * Douglas C-54 Skymaster, 1946 * KC-135 Stratotanker, 1958-1991 Awards and Campaigns References Notes Bibliography * * * * * * AF Pamphlet 900-2, Unit Decorations, Awards and Campaign Participation Credits Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC, 15 Jun 1971 External links * Thirsty13th.org - Squadron preliminary website * Thirsty13th.com - Official Squadron website Category:Air refueling squadrons of the United States Air Force